Review of Gretta Vosper, With or Without God: Why The Way We Live is More Important than What We Believe (Toronto: Harper Collins, 2008). ISBN 978-1-55468-228-7. 384 + xvi pp.
"What is a Christian? Am I a Christian?" These are questions that have come up time and again on this blog, and they frequently do in any interaction with progressive Christianity. Gretta Vosper's book, in essence, raises the question of whether it is possible to be a Christian "without God", and if so what that would mean. Rather than saying, as John A. T. Robinson or John Shelby Spong have, that our image of God must go, or as Dietrich Bonhoeffer did that we must live before God "as though God were not there", Vosper is persuaded that the very language and terminology of God has itself outlived its usefulness.
Gretta Vosper is an advocate for change in the church, and indeed change of the church. Some of the points she makes are ones that I imagine any progressive Christian will respond to with an "amen" (although of course many of us may do so somewhat tongue-in-cheek). Her first chapter is entitled "It's time", and within the space of a few pages Vosper brings the spotlight of her critical analysis to bear on central issues of not only religious belief but also authority. "Religious declarations and promises based entirely on speculation or individual experience or that claim a supernatural authority must be identified for what they are; we must refuse to grant them an authority they do not deserve" (p.4). This could be said to be the entire focus of her book in a nutshell: not the abolition of any particular texts, customs, terms or practices, but the recognition that none of them should be regarded as having an intrinsic God-given authority. Instead, the focus must be placed on a core that can be distilled out of Christianity and other faith systems, namely love: "This core message carries its own authority. It needs no doctrine to validate it, no external expert or supernatural authority to tell us it is right. Love is quite demanding enough as a foundation, sufficiently complex and challenging without the requirement of additional beliefs, unbelievable to many" (p.4).
Vosper's message thus far is of course nothing new. To some postliberal Christians, it sounds at times like old-fashioned modernism and Liberalism. It is appropriate to raise such concerns. The notion that one can distill the essence from Christianity and leave the mythical shell behind has been explored and found unviable, and when reading her book I found myself wanting to recommend to Vosper that she go back and read Rudolf Bultmann. Nonetheless, I do believe there is a need for Vosper's critical modernism even in our postmodern era. Without it, I suspect that a new generation that grows up with the language of postmodernism but without the experience of the Enlightenment experiment that led to it will end up with a viewpoint that is more pre-modern than postmodern.
On pp.261-276, Vosper discusses Fowler's Stages of Faith , and advocates the most spiritually and emotionally mature stage as where the church ought to be as an institution, I found myself thinking about Fowler's "stages of faith", and the work of other psychologists and scholars on faith development and maturity, even before Vosper explicitly raised the subject in her book. The question I still find myself asking is whether the church is an institution for the spiritually mature, or is more like a school, where one may find (and indeed should expect to find) individuals at various stages of maturity and levels of education in the same building. If the church is to be a place where one can experience one's faith development across multiple stages, then we must begin to wrestle with the question of how we can be an institution that has reached a certain level of maturity, while also welcoming those who might be deemed spiritually immature, but are not necessarily resistant to maturing (see pp.270, 337). How does one meet the needs of a wide range of Christians at a wide range of points on their spiritual (and emotional) development? How does one provide nurture for growth at every stage along the way? What does it even mean to talk about the level of spiritual maturity of an institution in abstraction from the inevitably differing levels of maturity among its members? Or should there be a test of prospective members' spiritual maturity before they are accepted into membership? Would this be in keeping with Jesus' radical challenges to his followers, or a departure from his inclusive fellowship? Vosper suggests that a church presenting stage five material to stage three Christians (to use Fowler's categories) is "abdicating its responsibilities to the people" (p.270). Her book would have benefited greatly from a discussion of precisely what should be presented to people who are at various stages, and may or may not be ready to move on from there, and how (and whether) the needs to individuals at various stages of maturity should be met in a single church.
On pp.16-17 Vosper presents her basic assumptions. Most basic is that there is an experience that corresponds to spirituality, but no certainty as to whether such elements of human experience involve contact with something outside ourselves. Yet at times Vosper sounds like she is indeed certain that this experience is entirely from within us, and does not involve contact with something greater than or beyond our human selves. Vosper explains who her intended audience is, and this is worth quoting at length: "I am not, in any way, attempting to wrest from anyone his or her sense of a relationship with God or Jesus. If that sense moves people to live lives of justice and compassion, I heartily celebrate it. They live with God and honor life through their belief. My intention, rather, is to provide a model for a way of life, a way of faith, a way of gathering together for those who either do not believe in the supernatural elements of religion or do believe but do not feel we can make absolute, universal claims about it; for those who cannot accept church doctrines but who deeply and passionately believe in the goodness and rightness of love; for those who have to ignore, reword, or quietly object to much of what is said in a typical liberal church service, and long to listen, learn, sing, pray, and speak in terms that make sense in the pew, the home, the workplace, and in the quest for a more humane world; for those who see religion as a way of living oriented to ultimate life-enhancing values or for those who live this way but don't like the word religion; for those who have no need of "God" – it is for these people I write" (p.18). What Vosper seeks to offer is a vision of the church that is progressive enough to let go of "beliefs and traditions…which can no longer prevail in our contemporary world" (p.12). But here we are met with the paradox so common in these modern perspectives on religion. Supposedly, smart, educated and sophisticated human beings can no longer believe these various outmoded doctrines. And yet we see all around us that they continue to be central to the belief system of many people who, even though they may well be wrong, are certainly not simply stupid. And this is a key issue that progressive Christianity (and not merely Vosper) needs to address. Are we presenting changes that have already occurred and will inevitably spread and become normative in time? Or are we advocating change? And if the latter, then on what basis? Vosper's book seems to claim both: she is advocating willing adoption of views and an approach that seem to her to be the only ones that make sense.
God, Vosper goes on to claim, "isn't as big as it was before" (p.20). God has been removed as explanation for various mysteries and unexplained phenomena. "God" is for Vosper above all else a concept that is created by human beings to give us security in an unstable and unsettling world. This point is at once an extremely valuable one and a key place at which Vosper is open to critique. She often gives the impression that ideas of God are nothing more than human creations for that specific purpose. It seems to me that even in terms of an analysis of the functions religious language plays in human societies, far more could be said about religion's multifaceted character and roles. Moreover, while psychological and sociological analyses can shed much light on human religious language, they neither exhaust its meanings and the motives for speaking in these ways, nor tell us anything about the truthfulness or otherwise of such language.
When it comes to the problems created by an interventionist concept of God, few progressive Christians would disagree with Vosper. There is something fundamentally sinister about thanking God for one's food when there are others who are starving, about thanking God for surviving a car crash when others did not. In saying "God has been good to me", it is implicit that God has been bad to others. And unless we are willing to accept that corollary, then such language should be eliminated as inappropriate, indeed offensive. We can simply be thankful without suggesting that the good or ill that befalls us was specifically sent by a person being who controls all that happens (pp.21, 26-29).
Rather than expecting newcomers to learn our secret code, our insider technical terms, we should adopt language that is understood by all (p.26). And we should also focus not on those doctrines, dogmas and terms that divide us from others, but on those that we share with others as common values we can unite to uphold: such as love, compassion, respect, caring, forgiveness, and many more (p.32). Alas, Vosper at this point confronts the same problem that all Christians and indeed all human beings face when discussing values, beliefs, and community. We should be united in essentials and not let non-essentials separate us. Few would disagree with that statement. But equally few would agree with one another about precisely what is essential and what is not!
Vosper is certainly correct that we are the co-creators of Christianity, and always have been (p.54). We should take on this role willingly and consciously, rather than merely having it happen even while we deny it does. Yet Vosper seems to share the largely outmoded modernist optimism that human beings have at last arrived, that now in our scientific and morally superior age, we can at last define God, religion and morality in a way that will never again need to be changed and revised (pp.74-78). A greater humility may be needed, and the willingness to realize that what seems progressive to us may seem not to have been progressive enough with the benefit of hindsight. But of course, when one realizes this, one will be more open to an appreciative reading of ancient texts that may in their time have been progressive in similar ways, and today seem hopelessly outmoded and patriarchal. And if, on the other hand, there will inevitably be a "next 'what's next'" after this, then it becomes less clear what makes the change Vosper calls for something that needs to be urgently advocated.
Vosper is nonetheless right to point out that there is a conspiracy of silence between pastors and congregations. In many denominations, the minister is essentially employed by the congregation. And this makes taking a prophetic or simply a progressive stance that seeks to provoke people to change may not be welcomed. Even sharing basic scholarship that is common knowledge to anyone who has consulted a Bible commentary may be resisted by members of a congregation comfortable with their ignorance. And so unless congregations understand themselves as involved in a movement whose aim is their growth and maturity, which involves being challenged and made uncomfortable, then it is hard to see how such an arrangement can be viable. More hierarchical churches may have something of an advantage here, since ministers are appointed from above, and while someone may be moved from a parish because of complaints, they cannot simply be fired because they said things that were unpopular. Of course, the irony is that in many conservative denominations, laypeople would take it upon themselves to oppose someone who has more education and relevant expertise than them with respect to the meaning of the Bible, theology, and the history of Christianity. That seems a recipe for the dominance of ignorant loudmouths, not for "Biblical Christianity". Be that as it may, statements of faith in more liberal denominations have of late become what they have often been down the ages, even in the early church – attempts to unite the majority while excluding some small troublesome minority or other. And to accomplish this, the same sorts of vague obfuscations and terms that mean different things to different people continue to be used (p.95). If the point of such language is, for instance, to allow liberals and conservatives to co-exist in a single body or organization, then the question we must then ask is whether that end is worth achieving, and if so why.
As Vosper seeks to redefine Christianity, some will ask (as is always asked of progressive Christians) "Why call this Christianity?" In the case of other progressive Christians, such as Marcus Borg, the answer is easier to give: Christianity has not, historically, been what Christian fundamentalism today claims Christianity has always been. To suggest that the meaning of stories is spiritual rather than literal, that God rather than the Bible is alone inerrant, that the Christian mystic's ineffable experience of the divine is not unlike the experience of mystics in other traditions – all this has historically been part of Christianity, if not always central or a majority viewpoint. In Vosper's case, however, the question of whether what she advocates is a form of Christianity arises more naturally and seems more appropriate. Indeed, I found myself asking at one point whether the difference between Vosper and someone like Marcus Borg or even Don Cupitt might not be that both of the latter seem to actually like Christianity, whereas in Vosper's case I had serious doubts about this at times. And whereas Borg seeks to find meaning in the Christian tradition by reinterpreting it, Vosper seems to want to take that reinterpreted meaning and then discard anything distinctively Christian about the packaging. And so in the case of Vosper's viewpoint, which suggests discarding even central terms like "God", it seems absolutely apt to ask: Why not also discard the banner "Christianity" as well? What is the purpose of clinging to it if everything else that is distinctively Christian is being discarded? A key difference is that Borg writes for those already connected with Christianity, while Vosper writes for a different audience (p.116). But it still seems appropriate to ask whether, and why, Vosper wants to bring those who are unconnected with the church into connection with it at all, particularly a version of the church that has nothing that cannot be found elsewhere.
Vosper has much criticism to offer of Christianity, and she even goes so far as to say that what Jesus said "has little power" in relation to our time (p.155). Yet when she interacts with recent atheist authors, she says nothing critical (p.100). Of course, many of the criticisms of authors like Sam Harris are fair, and are the very reasons why educated Christians like myself find fundamentalism untenable. But if there is no point of disagreement, then why not call her viewpoint something appropriately radical, like "Christian atheism" or "Christian agnosticism"? Is there not the danger that Vosper's clinging to the label "Christian" will result in her views being misunderstood, the very thing for which she has criticized others? Vosper foresees the question (pp.191-2), but it is unclear what the answer is, since the Christian values she defines as core values are precisely those that Christianity shares with other traditions, and thus are not distinctively Christian (p.101). Vosper writes that "To be Christian, for me, is to do whatever it takes to bind me to a life lived in a radically ethical way" (p.197). I find myself asking how Vosper really views those for whom "whatever it takes" includes some of the historic components of Christianity that she wants to discard. I know she isn't writing for them, but my question is whether she wants to be part of something larger than both herself and them, which continues to call itself "Christianity". Is her vision for something that can be part of a broader spectrum of Christianity, or is her vision of what she thinks Christianity in its totality will one day become? At any rate, the section on pp.197-198 is called "Why Heretics Can Still Call Themselves Christians (If They Want To)", and it is disappointing because it misses the opportunity to address and answer this question. No answer is actually given to this "why" question. Vosper could have drawn on the work of Elaine Pagels and Bart Ehrman, for instance, to show that Christianity has always been diverse, and to deconstruct the notion of orthodoxy. But she doesn't do it.
It is perhaps ironic that many things Vosper seeks to accomplish by changing Christianity could also be accomplished by exploring further within the Christian tradition, rather than discarding those forms of it with which Vosper is familiar. For instance, one could easily make the case for discarding the term "church" by noting that there is no such term in the New Testament. The term that is translated that way in English in actual fact means "congregation" or "assembly." The term did not originally denote a specifically Christian assembly, much less the building in which such a group met, nor did it have connotations of specific orders of service or liturgical characteristics. This raises the question whether we should see ourselves as discarding tradition in instances when it could equally be said that we are recovering it (p.308). A similar point may be made regarding Vosper's reinterpretation of communion (pp.345-349). Instead of reinterpreting the modern practice, it might have been more consistent to discard it altogether, and Vosper's failure to do so suggests she may not be willing to be quite as thoroughly radical as she claims (as we also see in her desire to cling to the term "Christian" itself; note her words about preserving liturgical forms on p.322). But another option with respect to communion is ignored: replacing the tiny pieces of bread with an actual meal, which was what the earliest Christians did. Does being "progressive" mean that we always make changes based on what we have, rather than at times rediscovering and returning to a neglected aspect of our tradition that might be better suited for our own contemporary context?
Vosper claims that the strongest part of Liberal Christianity's heritage is scholarship (pp.306-7). Although she is critical of academics (p.14), Vosper would benefit from a greater familiarity with Christianity's history and intellectual heritage. It is at this point that Vosper could have shown where Sam Harris' criticism of religion is misguided. He claims that "The door leading out of religious literalism doesn't open from the inside. These religions have been moderated because of the pressure of modernity" (quoted p.10). In fact, modernity itself and modern Biblical scholarship are to a large extent an outgrowth of the Reformation's challenge to ecclesiastical authority. Protestants spearheaded the development of scholarship that turned the spotlight of the same critique of authority onto their new foundation, the Bible. Certainly many within the church were resistant, but resistance to change is not limited to the confines of the church. The rise of Biblical scholarship and of Liberal Protestantism could have been a wonderful opportunity to say something positive about Christianity. I wonder what to make of the fact that Vosper doesn't take it. I suspect that the reason is simply that Vosper is hearing the voices of contemporary critics of religion, and doesn't have the depth of familiarity with her own tradition to see where those criticisms are on target and where they are not. Her words comparing the cosmetic industry and Christianity are powerful, challenging enough to be worth the price of the book alone (pp.171-174). If all of her criticisms were similarly on-target and well-informed, the most challenging portions of the book would come through and make their point all the more clearly.
I must admit that I was rather disappointed when Vosper mistook which Gospel's infancy narrative mentions shepherds and which mentions the magi (p.240). She offers some important and helpful questions to ask the texts we read (pp.214-215). But it is by becoming deeply familiar with ancient texts that we come to realize that their limited historical and cultural horizon seemed to them to be ultimate, and the biggest danger for progressive Christianity is if we ever forget that, to future generations looking back, our own perspectives will seem every bit as quaintly antiquated. It is also through greater familiarity with the historical setting of these ancient texts that we realize that some of them were genuinely progressive for their time, and provide not authoritative answers to today's questions, but models of human worldview construction and maintenance that we can learn from.
Vosper seeks to define the characteristics that make progressive Christianity progressive (pp. 158-188), and sums it up in terms of four essentials (an open mind, passion, creativity, and intellectual rigor) and four more essentials (honesty, courage, respect, and balance). One of the most marvelously challenging points she makes is that we should not think ourselves smarter than others simply because we have happened to learn something before they did, to have read the relevant book first (p.181). Her call to respect and humility is powerful and on target. If there is something that is clearly timely and much-needed in Vosper's book and in her vision, it is her desire that we be honest, that we say what we really mean, that we not use "metaphor" as an all-too-ready excuse for a lack of clarity in our thought and in our communication with others.
I have a very strong sense that Vosper was working through her own experience, and working out her own viewpoint, as she was writing the book. One senses that this progressive Christian has been describing and perhaps undergoing her own spiritual progress over the course of the book's pages. And thus, at times, Vosper seems willing to allow for antiquated stories and practices to have a place in the Christian's spiritual "tool kit" (pp.196-7). The irony is that the same things that she acknowledges can be tools for spiritual growth, she also at times categorizes as religious "detritus". Even myths can have their place: "Myths are useful to us to make sense of our own experiences…Loosed of the demand that they be believed literally, biblical stories become therapeutic in our search to understand ourselves and our place in the universe" (p.201). Vosper's key argument seems to be against any treatment of Christianity's Scriptures, rituals, or language as inherently authoritative and inviolate. As long as there is no conspiracy of silence that allows some to mistake our meaning, as long as certain texts and traditions are not granted intrinsic authority in comparison with others, as long as we do not abdicate our responsibility to make our own judgments about spiritual matters, then Vosper seems willing to allow the use of any texts or practices that foster spiritual growth and cooperation in ethical living (p.198).
None of this is in fact new, and so if Vosper's criticism is in fact that Liberal Christianity has not been as up front as it ought to have been, then she might have done better to focus the whole book on her own place in the flow of information, since it is above all else the clergy who have consistently learned scholarly information about historical problems, myth, and uncertainty, and then failed to pass that on to their congregations. It is certainly the case that many clergy whose own view of God may be non-theistic nevertheless continue to lead their congregations in beseeching God for mercy (p.22). Vosper presents congregants as open to new ideas, and scholarship as providing them. Perhaps her next book should focus on taking clergy to task for having insufficient honesty to share what they really think, whatever the cost, and for having insufficient trust in the intelligence of ordinary Christians to believe that they can handle the new information if it is presented in a pedagogically sensible manner.
While earlier Vosper had spoken of Jesus' words' lack of power in our time, at times she sees in his teaching and activity (and, at times perhaps projects onto him) her own progressive values (pp.193-195, cp. p.213). Ultimately, she recommends taking Jesus' humanity seriously, and going through the Gospels and asking whether Jesus consistently speaks and behaves in ways that we would be proud of if it were a relative or friend doing that, rather than Jesus (pp.237-244). Here too, Vosper is not suggesting that there is nothing positive that can be gained from reading and studying these stories. The point is to acknowledge the negative features, rather than assume that they must be wholly good and their message entirely positive. Vosper's sense of humor comes through in many places, not least when she says that "contemporary scholarship strips Jesus of his uniquely divine status and leaves him as only a Middle Eastern peasant with a few charismatic gifts and a great posthumous marketing team" (p.255). But if she had a greater depth of understanding of the Biblical literature's diversity and of the contemporary Biblical scholarship she says leads to her viewpoint, then she would perhaps not have made inaccurate statements such as that the New Testament presents Jesus as "divine" or "God" (p.200). Anyone would be hard pressed to find such a viewpoint in the Gospels other than John. Nevertheless, she is right that even Liberal and progressive Christians often fail to take Jesus' humanity completely seriously and acknowledge that he was wrong about things. The Jesus Seminar's claims, which eliminate any connection between Jesus and the apocalyptic expectation of the end of the world within the first Christian generation, have contributed to this to at least some extent.
I cannot be very critical of Vosper, even when at times her views on Christianity seem paradoxical to the point of incoherence. All progressive Christians feel the same tension to at least some extent. We have found things we value in Christianity – otherwise we would have left it behind, rather than fighting over its character and seeking to define and when necessary redefine it. We also desire the honesty to state without cringing that some parts of the Bible are not merely untrue, they are spiritually and morally unpalatable. Often, we've been helped more by outsiders than voices from within the Christian tradition in recognizing such features.
Vosper accuses Evangelicals of pretending to be postmodern (pp.299-300). Certainly there have been some who have used the popularity of postmodernism's reclaiming of the pre-modern as an excuse to try to bypass modernity's critiques. But at times, Vosper herself seems far more modern than postmodern. Even when she uses the term "deconstructionist" (pp.202-203) she departs from its normal meaning. Her views of religion are consistently reductionist: religion is at its roots about tribal identity (e.g. p.309). Certainly religion has served that function. But religion has also been and continues to be about many other things (such as ethics, as Vosper herself emphasizes in places).
I applaud Vosper's creativity. But it is only too rarely (see p.315) that she acknowledges that the Biblical authors were engaging in the same sort of creative dialogue between tradition and innovation in their own time, and that her own creations will be as open to critique as theirs. Vosper is most explicit about certain of her views towards the end of her book, when she says "there are no supernatural beings, forces, or energies necessary for or even mindful of our survival" (p.316). Depending on what she means by "supernatural", many progressive Christians may either applaud her forthrightness or find that her view differs from their own. Certainly some (e.g. process theologians) may agree that there is nothing "supernatural", but would not therefore agree that this excludes all meaningful use of the term "God". And Vosper even at this late stage in her book seems to remain caught in a naïve modernism. She expresses the conviction that "all religious, philosophical and ideological understandings must be challenged by their adherents so that we might all move into a place where foundational beliefs are shared and held in common, reviewed and revised as necessary, challenged and changed when appropriate", and "When we arrive at this place of shared values and beliefs…[r]ather than mocking or even tolerating the faiths and ideological positions of others, we will be delighted by the kaleidoscopic beauty of the ways in which different lives, experiences, understandings, and traditions have sought to express what for them is of the utmost worth, holy, and sacred" (p.316). I must confess that I find this vision incoherent. In coming to appreciate other traditions, I have been forced to realize that I do not share with everyone else a common foundation. Indeed, what is striking is that one can build the same concerns for social justice, kindness, and other basic human values on so many different foundations. Foundationalism is the term often used as a synonym for Descartian modernism, seeking to bring everything back to a sure foundation. My own existence is found to be certain, and from there I seek to reason step by step to equally secure conclusions. Postmodernism is in essence about the futility of that exercise. I am not an enthusiastic postmodern, and I share Vosper's concern that some use "postmodernism" not as a next step beyond the critique of reason, but as a means to avoid it. Yet I share with postmodernism a certain skepticism that we can all agree on a foundation. I also wonder whether Vosper's attempt to reach agreement does not undermine the diversity she claims will be more greatly appreciated when that unity (or is it uniformity?) is achieved (see e.g. p.148).
But perhaps what Vosper really means at this point is agreement on the subtitle of her book: that the way we live is more important than what we believe. Of course, this too is an oversimplification. How we live is an expression of what we believe, whether it is that an anthropomorphic God is going to send people to hell if they don't believe as we do, or that human beings are of intrinsic value regardless of their religious, political or ideological views. Even believing that beliefs are less important than practices is a belief. Whether Vosper's ultra-progressive Christian vision can escape this paradox remains to be seen. Having written a book that gave her the opportunity to work through a number of issues and look both backwards and forwards, at times even critiquing her earlier views and statements as not progressive enough, I hope she will write a second one, and tackle one or a few of the key issues she has raised in a more thorough, systematic and cohesive way.
In the appendix to her book, Vosper offers a toolbox for those "who have progressed to the place that the supernatural no longer fits with your understanding of spirituality" (p.318). Here too, in what I recognize as a very useful section of the book, we still have a simplistic understanding of religious language. She suggests that in order to be inclusive we need to "get beneath the naming of whatever it is we are talking about to exactly what it is we are talking about" (p.319). It is important to ask not only whether that is a coherent notion in relation to the ultimate mystery often referred to as "God", but whether it is feasible even in relation to more basic terminology like "love" or "kindness" or "hope". Anyone who has lived in more than one culture will know that kindness is not something self evident to human beings, and more importantly, that kindness depends on shared values that are simply a given for that culture and not something rationally defined. Her opposition of progressive spirituality which needs no symbols and "extrinsic spirituality" that does is likewise deeply problematic (p.325). An exploration of Taoism at this point might have led to some interesting avenues of inquiry that could fit well with Vosper's non-theistic approach to spirituality, while also addressing some of these issues about naming and language.
The section on revising language used in prayer from that presupposing a theistic, interventionist deity to language that does not is very helpful (pp.329-332). So is the section on revising the language of hymns (pp.333-335). Yet immediately before these sections, she recommends a Wiccan practice (p.328), without explaining why she considers Wiccan spirituality and metaphor not to share the problematic baggage that Christianity's does. Once again, the reader may suspect that they are dealing with someone who is rebelling against her own tradition, and is grasping for substitutes that are new and different, but which may prove no more immune from criticism if examined in the same critical way. And if Wiccan practices can be helpful provided they are not simply taken over uncritically, then perhaps so can Christianity's.
Ultimately, I do feel that Vosper has much to say that the church of our time needs to hear. Yet I don't think that she has a vision to offer that can provide what she aims to and claims to, a shared foundation that gets behind all symbolism to what we "really mean". When she suggests as part of the baptismal service using the words "We gather at this font to celebrate the Spirit of Life that connects us all…", what "Spirit" is she referring to? If it isn't a supernatural person, not even a supernatural "force", then her language is the same misleading symbolic double-speak that she criticized others of using. Why not make it "the joy of being alive" or something else? Could it be, as other progressive Christians she deems to be not quite progressive enough have found, that such symbolic language of mystery and ultimate transcendence is the only way to express certain aspects of our experience?
Vosper's challenge to us is to hear fully the critiques that are being offered by reason, science and pluralism, and to not regard them as threats to Christianity, but as providing an opportunity to rethink and revise what we believe and how we speak about it in light of the progress of our human understanding in various fields of inquiry. Her challenge to us is to be first and foremost humanists committed to the values that we share with other traditions, in caring for the uncared for and giving love primacy of place. On pp.227-228, Vosper gives you a permission card that you can sign (and cut out and place in your wallet, if you feel the need), giving you the permission to "explore the concepts of God, Jesus, the Bible, and life in general" beyond and even far beyond "former rigidly guarded boundaries" (p.228). The Biblical authors did this, and one reason I cling to the Bible as valuable is not because it gives timeless truths, but because it illustrates diversity and disagreement, and reminds me that as antiquated and problematic as the various Biblical authors' views are, my own will seem the same (probably more so) when viewed with the benefit of a comparable degree of hindsight. As a consequence, all we can do is seek to cling to what is valuable in our heritage, while not shirking the responsibility to discard and demolish that which stands in the way of our spiritual, intellectual, emotional and moral progress. All progressive Christians will agree with these core aims, even if they do not agree with Vosper at every point of her attempt to implement them. Indeed, this seems to be an inherent corollary in the progressive Christian outlook: just as was the case in earliest Christianity and throughout history, there may always be different visions, conservative, moderate and progressive, with many disagreements about just what course of action serves the aims that we agree on. They key questions are how to promote our own progressive understanding of Christianity, and whether other forms will always be needed as stepping stones leading to and leading beyond our own as we continue to mature emotionally and spiritually.
I apologize for the length and the somewhat meandering character of this review. Vosper's book represents a personal working out of issues in conversation with the reader, and her book provided me with an opportunity to do the same in dialogue with her. For this I am grateful. In essence, this review is yet another piece in an ongoing conversation, in which readers of the review are now invited to participate. With all the tensions in the book, and within myself, I did not feel I could offer a more systematic treatment. I encourage anyone else who is a progressive Christian, who feels ambivalent about Christianity and finds they have a love/hate relationship with it, or who simply wants to explore issues of literalism, liberalism and religion, to read Vosper's book. While my review has presumably made clear that I don't think readers will find the answers to all the issues raised by the book, they most certainly will find the issues defined and discussed with an honesty and forthrightness that is refreshing. I am sure that Vosper herself does not expect readers to simply adopt her answers, but rather hopes that we will wrestle with the issues she and many others are wrestling with, and do so in an honest way.
I invite you to join in the conversation!
June 25, 2008 Obama's Faith...in Hanuman?!
"To distinguish him from other persons named James."
"Aren't you the one who referred to evidence from "other early Christian literature"? Are you ..."
"Thank you. I have mistaken you all along, and I apologize."
I have not read her book, but your sentiments seem to echo my own initial reaction when I first heard about her book. I think that the problem of clergy not being honest with their congregations is a serious one. I read Jack Good's book on this subject and I think he was dead on. You point out that democratically run congregations may not be amenable to seriously facing information that doesn't conform to their dogmas. On the other hand, authoritarian denominations have their own problems with forcing dogma from on high down the throats of church members. So what's the solution?It really isn't clear to me why she wants to hang on to the Christian identity if she rejects its traditions and practices so thoroughly. It is one thing to participate in a dialogue within a context, and it is another thing altogether to reject almost everything connected to a tradition but want to claim the name anyway. I don't get it. Isn't there a Unitarian Universalist congregation in Toronto? It's funny for me to be saying all of this, since I am such a heretic myself. But the reason I am drawn to radical or progressive Christianity instead of Unitarian Universalism is precisely because I still find value in the Christian traditions, in Jesus, and in the Bible, even if my take on all three of those is quite different from that of orthodox Christianity. I think the comparison with Borg is a valid one. Borg likes Christianity, Vosper doesn't. Your comment about Wicca is telling. She has issues with Christianity (and who can blame her?), but I'm not sure that she seems to have worked them out very consistently.
Rev. Andrew. There is a pretty good discussion going on in the "Comments" section of Newsweek/Washington Post's website, "On Faith" — particularly addressing your last comment regarding, "non-theism/atheism." For instance, if there is no god, the word "atheism" would not exist — therefore, it is a word made up by believers in God, not by non-believers in God. That might answer your question.Other than that, what is god and religion but another form of getting the people to order, like any government, ruler — rules and regulations for a more orderly society?Will anyone agree that humans instituted morals some time before they thought of a supreme enforcer of the morals?And the god-the-enforcer idea led to maybe humans don't have to die — a further motivation for believing in god?Answer these two questions, and another book may be worthwhile.I'm merely a normal guy, looking at how humans came to be the way they are.
Very helpful. Thank you for this.
So, this is the question that I've had on my mind for some time. Why Christianity? What have you found to be of such value that you have not left it behind, not as an object of academic study, but of personal spirituality? Why "redefine" it even if that redefinition is really a return to the diversity or some aspect of early Christianity rather than the current view of "traditional" Christianity espoused by Evangelicals?
I ask this as a former minister of around 16 years, seminary educated and personally engaged in what I thought Christianity was. I am no longer in the Church in any form and do not espouse Christianity either, in any form. I consider myself an atheist or certainly a strong agnostic. Theism for me includes the more "mature, nuance and sophisticated" views of God that I hear espoused. I am a non-theist in that sense as well.
So, I've been trying to understand the very question you pose regarding Ms. Vosper's book, "Why not simply abandon Christianity"? What do you find of such value and on what basis do you give it any special place as a tradition to be redefined? Why not Islam? Why not Hinduism or Buddhism?
How is your approach to Christianity different? What "things of value" have you found in Christianity and on what basis have you identified them? On what basis do you consider them to be "true" and "of value"?
The short answer is that Christianity is an element both of my upbringing and a powerful influence in my adult life. I could say that I was abandoning it, but I would not as a result be free of its influence. And because there has been much that has been positive, such as in particular a life-changing cathartic experience and the paradigm of victory through self-sacrificial love rather than violence, I find it makes more sense to me to seek to reform and work within my tradition, rather than trying to reinvent the wheel in a way that would involve, in the first instance, subconscious as well as conscious borrowing from that which is already familiar to me.
I hope this goes at least some way towards answering your question, but please do follow up, and I promise that the next reply will follow quickly!
I hate to suggest that anyone who self-identifies as Christian may not be (my test for "who is a Christian" when I was moderating a religion discussion group was "what do you itentify as?"), but what you say about Vosper, I've occasionally felt when reading John Shelby Spong. The thing is, I'm most definitely a methodological naturalist (my background includes BSc in Theoretical Physics and I still dabble in a little experimental science) and manage only by a hair's breadth to avoid being a complete reductive scientific-materialist.
At that point, I'm wondering if you've read Philip Clayton's "The Predicament of Belief"? He has a very useful (to me, at least) progression of saying of God that God is "not less than…" and then progressing through a set of propositions which you may at any point decide is one step too far. The result is very much a feeling that there is a spectrum of depth of belief, and that hard and fast dividing lines on that are really rather arbitrary and should not be paid too much attention to.
My other "go to" concept is the idea that Christianity should be regarded not as a bounded set (which creeds, confessions and the like establish) but as a centered set. That way, if your focus is on Jesus Christ, no matter how far from the centre you are, you are a member of the set.
That terminology is very helpful!
I don't think I've read that particular work by Clayton, but I've read a lot of what he's written and appreciate it immensely, and so will have to check whether it is something I need to read, or something I need to reread!


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Today is one of the most important days in the United States.
Today, is a day to step back and remember, honor and thank those men and women who served or are serving in the U.S. military. We have close connections to the military at Cross Armory, as friends and family have bravely served the greatest country on Earth.
However, we also want to respect and honor the fallen. It is why we are donating 10 percent of all sales throughout the Veterans Day weekend to the Charlie Humphrey Keating IV Foundation.
Charlie "Chuck" Keating was a 31-year-old Navy SEAL based in Coronado and a friend to many, who died heroically on May 3, 2016. He was part of a "quick reaction force" attempting to rescue American advisers who came under attack from ISIS militants in Iraq. He made the ultimate sacrifice. His death reminds us every day that freedom does not come free.
The foundation has also created a clothing line of T-shirts, long sleeve shirts and hats, with sales directed toward the foundation's mission. Individuals can also donate through the foundation's website.
Keating's mother, Krista Keating-Joseph, has published two children's books about her son. She began writing the first when he was a young child, but never finished, according to media reports. After her son's passing, she finished the book and then published another. Parts of the proceeds benefit the K9s for Warriors and The Navy SEAL Foundation. Visit the site here.


text:
VINCENT'S PORTRAITS: Paintings and Drawings by Van Gogh
Despite his posthumous fame as a painter of flowers, still-lifes, gardens, landscapes and city scenes, during his lifetime Vincent van Gogh believed that his portraits constituted his most important works. Although as an artist he was 'touched by so many different things', he was nevertheless committed to the art of portraiture - a quality that distinguished him from his contemporaries. Van Gogh was passionate in his avoidance of bland, photographic resemblances, in the hope of capturing the essential character of his models by means of expressive colour and brushwork. Showcasing a dramatic set of portraits created during Van Gogh's ten-year career, this book reflects the strong visual impact with which the artist captured the diversity of contemporary life. In his many portraits, we can discern the artist's desire to record expressively a number of themes, from the plight of the agricultural workers in his native Brabant and the destitution of prostitutes and their children in urban Europe, to the lives of his cosmopolitan acquaintances in Paris, including café owners and art dealers. It was here that he began his remarkable sequence of self-portraits. With reference to Van Gogh's extensive correspondence, Skea elaborates how the artist perceived his chosen subjects as would a writer, and how he felt that his portraits should somehow evoke what he considered to be the spiritual underpinning of human existence Hardback title by Ralph Skea Published February 2018 112 Pages
Despite his posthumous fame as a painter of flowers, still-lifes, gardens, landscapes and city scenes, during his lifetime Vincent van Gogh believed that his portraits constituted his most important works. Although as an artist he was 'touched by so many different things', he was nevertheless committed to the art of portraiture - a quality that distinguished him from his contemporaries. Van Gogh was passionate in his avoidance of bland, photographic resemblances, in the hope of capturing the essential character of his models by means of expressive colour and brushwork. Showcasing a dramatic set of portraits created during Van Gogh's ten-year career, this book reflects the strong visual impact with which the artist captured the diversity of contemporary life. In his many portraits, we can discern the artist's desire to record expressively a number of themes, from the plight of the agricultural workers in his native Brabant and the destitution of prostitutes and their children in urban Europe, to the lives of his cosmopolitan acquaintances in Paris, including café owners and art dealers. It was here that he began his remarkable sequence of self-portraits. With reference to Van Gogh's extensive correspondence, Skea elaborates how the artist perceived his chosen subjects as would a writer, and how he felt that his portraits should somehow evoke what he considered to be the spiritual underpinning of human existence
Hardback title by Ralph Skea Published February 2018 112 Pages
Tags: Art , Book , International , Painting
MAN WITH A BLUE SCARF: On Sitting for a Portrait by Lucien Freud
MONET: The Garden Paintings
Vermeer in Detail
GUSTAV KLIMT: Landscapes
EGON SCHIELE: Landscapes
Frida Kahlo's Garden
Basquiat by Himself
TURNER: The Sea and the Alps

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Australia's commitment to reducing the humanitarian impact of armed conflict was strengthened today with the passage of a bill banning the use of cluster munitions.
The passage of the Criminal Code Amendment (Cluster Munitions Prohibition) Bill 2010 includes legislative measures necessary to give effect to the Convention on Cluster Munitions.
"Australia was amongst the first group of countries to sign the convention in 2008 and this Bill is another step towards ratification.
Minister for Foreign Affairs Bob Carr welcomed the passage of the legislation.
"Australia will also continue to press for further global arms control, to restrict or prohibit weapons like cluster munitions that have their greatest impact on civilians in conflict zones," Mr Carr said.
Minister for Defence Stephen Smith said the new legislation puts into law Australia's policy to not use cluster munitions.
"The prohibitions in the Convention will apply to all Australian Defence Force Personnel, including while serving alongside Defence forces of non-signatory States", Mr Smith said.
Australia does not have operational stockpiles of cluster munitions and the Australian Government will not approve the stockpiling of cluster munitions in Australia by foreign governments.
The legislation will strengthen Australia's already robust legal framework regarding weapons and reflects Australia's longstanding commitment to international efforts to reduce the humanitarian impact of armed conflict.
• assist, encourage or induce anyone to undertake these activities.
The offences will carry tough penalties of up to 10 years' imprisonment for individuals or a $330,000 fine for bodies corporate.


In our modern world parents tend to give their children names they like, or names which are fashionable, little attention being given to the meanings of the names. This has not always been so, and especially in Scripture, names are frequently given specifically because of their meanings.
Samuel means 'asked of God' or 'God heard, Daniel means 'God my judge' and Joshua means 'Jehovah my saviour'. Dispensationalists recognize the significance of the name Lo-ammi, given by the Lord to a son of the prophet Hosea. A great deal of care is taken with names in Scripture because of their meanings, and as would be expected, the same applies to the names used of God. If the Lord's names are specific in their meanings then it is likely that these names reflect His character and attributes.
Elohim is the first divine name to appear in Scripture and its first occurrence is in Genesis 1:1 where it is stated that in the beginning Elohim created the heavens and the earth. This clearly connects Elohim with the creation and is the only divine title used in Genesis 1. Elohim is therefore the power behind creation and the source of life. The name appears in the Old Testament about 2700 times and is translated 'God'.
This seems to create a problem, but Col 1:15 says Christ is the image of the invisible God and that He is the firstborn of all creation. Could it be that God took on the form of Elohim - the image of the invisible God - and that it was Elohim who was born at Bethlehem? Was "being in the form of God" (Phil 2:6) actually being Elohim? If this is so then it is certainly true that "the great Creator became our Saviour"
Shaddai occurs 48 times and is always translated "Almighty". On seven occasions it is combined with El, related to Elohim, to form El-Shaddai. Its origin is probably related to the idea of All-bountiful rather than All-mighty, and this thought is supported by the following references. In Gen 17:1 Jehovah appears to Abram and declares Himself to be El-Shaddai. The following five verses relate to Abram's fruitfulness and the name Abram - meaning exalted father - is changed to Abraham - meaning father of a multitude. In Gen 35:11 Elohim has just changed Jacob's name to Israel when Elohim says "I am El-Shaddai: be fruitful and multiply." It is noteworthy that in these references both Jehovah and Elohim say "I am EI-Shaddai.", thus forming a strong connection between the two. As has already been noted Elohim is Christ, but these references suggest that El-Shaddai and Jehovah are also Christ. This makes great sense of Phil 4:19, My God shall supply all your need, according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
A search of other Old Testament passages referring to El-Shaddai, Shaddai or The Almighty shed further light on the idea of All-bountiful.
English attempt at its pronunciation. We do something similar with the name Jesus. In Hebrew the name is Jehoshua and in Greek it is Iesous, but nobody is troubled by the pronunciation Jesus. Jehovah is a proper name and should not be translated Lord any more than 'Samuel' should be translated 'heard' or 'Ephraim' 'fruitful'.
The name first occurs in Gen 2:4 where it is combined with Elohim to form Jehovah-Elohim, another evidence that the two are the same person. Jehovah is God in covenant relationship to those He has created, while Elohim is the creator. Eve understood this. Elohim dealt with the sin in the garden but when she bore a child she saw him as Jehovah - the one who would come in fulfilment of the covenant made with her.
This distinction is seen again in Gen 22. In verse 1, Elohim tells Abraham to offer Isaac as a sacrifice, and through the narrative it is Elohim who is God; until in verse 11 it is Jehovah who intervenes, in verses 12 - 13 Jehovah who supplies the ram and in verses 15-18 Jehovah who makes further promises to Abraham.
Jehovah is especially the God of Israel in covenant relationships, and he is the One Who is to come. He is not Jehovah in creation. It is Jehovah-Elohim who will lead Israel out of Egypt using great power (Ex 3:15-17), but it is Jehovah who appears in the burning bush to make the promise to Moses.
God first really revealed Himself as Jehovah when He spoke with Moses. In Ex 6:23 He says that He appeared to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob as El-Shaddai, not as Jehovah. The name was known by these patriarchs but this was not the major name by which God manifested Himself at that time. He tells Moses to go to the children of Israel and say "I am Jehovah". It is little wonder that Pharaoh in Ex 5:2 did not know Him. Israel before Moses had little idea of the richness of the name Jehovah and Pharaoh had no idea at all.
The name Jehovah was frequently used in combination with other words, and this added great depth to the meaning of the name. Jehovah cared for Israel and these combined titles show how He supplied all their needs.
Egyptians. He declared Himself to be Jehovah-Ropheca, "I am the Lord that healeth thee".
The third need of His people was protection. When Israel fought Amalek at Rephidim. the Lord used miraculous means to defeat their enemy. He revealed Himself as Jehovah-Nissi, "The Lord my banner".
The fourth need of His people was sanctification. Israel were commanded to keep the Lord's sabbaths, a sign that they were different from the nations around them. They were promised that if they did so they would know Him as Jehovah-Mekaddishkem, "The Lord who sanctifies".
The fifth need of His people was peace. In Judges 6 Gideon had seen the angel of Jehovah face to face and was terrified, but Jehovah brought him peace and eased his fears. Gideon built an altar and named it Jehovah-Shalom, "The Lord my peace".
The sixth need of His people was righteousness. In Jeremiah 23 Jehovah promises a restoration of Israel, and a King to reign over them. The Kings name would be Jehovah-Tsidkenu, "The Lord our righteousness".
The seventh need of His people is the presence of the Lord. In the final chapters of the book of Ezekiel the restored state of the land and the city and the temple are described. As a benediction it is stated that the name of that city will be Jehovah-Shammah, "The Lord is there".
The eighth need of His people is to be cared for. Psalm 23 speaks of this care and in verse 1 Jehovah is referred to as Jehovah-Rohi, "The Lord my shepherd".
The whole of Psalm 23 relates to the way Jehovah watched over His people Israel, and, although not specifically mentioned, many of the Jehovah titles are implied.
Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for Thou art with me; Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
While there are a number of other instances where Jehovah is combined with other words, only two more will be considered.
Elkanah, husband of Hannah, went annually to Shiloh to worship and to sacrifice to the Lord of hosts. This is the first occurrence of this title which appears 281 times and denotes the God of Israel as the Lord of all the hosts of earth and heaven. David, (1 Sam 17:45) when confronting Goliath said he came in the name of Jehovah-Zebaoth, the God of the armies of Israel. This name is associated with kings and kingdoms. Jehovah-Zebaoth is the Divine Ruler and Leader and Commander of His people. Jehovah-Zebaoth, "The Lord of hosts".
The name Elyon first appears in relation to Melchizedek who is called the priest of El Elyon, the most High God. It is certainly one of the supreme titles of God. Its use is always associated with power and blessing and it is found combined with Jehovah in Psalm 7:17. Jehovah-Elyon, "Jehovah most high".
We have seen that as Elohim, Christ was the creator and that Elohim and Jehovah both stated that they were El-Shaddai. This is clear evidence that the God of the Old Testament was in fact Christ. Careful examination will show that all the attributes of God described in the Old Testament are attributes given to Christ in the New Testament. If God is to be greatly praised in the Old Testament then the same should be expected for Christ in the New Testament. That this is so is clear from Phil 2:9-11.


text:
82-year-old viral sensation John Hetlinger joins Drowning Pool in Chicago — watch
Bodies hit the floor at Chicago Open Air Festival
July 16, 2016 | 2:24pm ET
Last month, 82-year-old Navy veteran and aerospace engineer John Hetlinger became a viral sensation when he took the stage at America's Got Talent and delivered an on-point rendition of Drowning Pool's "Bodies". Drowning Pool guitarist CJ Pierce was one of the millions who viewed Hetlinger's performance and subsequently invited him to join the band on stage for their set at Chicago Open Air on Friday.
"I picked up my phone and I got a handful of texts from a number of people because I guess it got out yesterday ahead of the airing," Pierce told Loudwire. "We had a band group text on there as well, and then I watched it, and man, I am so entertained by it. It's awesome to just see an 82-year-old man get out there and just belt out some metal — whether it was our song or any song, it was just killer to see him do that."
Hetlinger — who opted for a Drowning Pool t-shirt in favor of his traditional toucan-branded white polo — joined the band at the conclusion of their eight-song Open Air set. Catch footage above. He's reportedly set to join the band again later today at Ink in the Clink in Ohio.
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Chris Pratt is a-me, Mario, in First Trailer for Super Mario Bros. Movie: Watch
Mindy Kaling's Animated Velma Series Casts Sam Richardson, Constance Wu, "Weird Al" Yankovic, and More
John Waters to Direct Liarmouth, His First Film in 18 Years
Austin City Limits' 2022 Livestream to Feature Paramore, Kacey Musgraves, The Chicks & More
Elton John Group Sues Daily Mail for "Criminal Activity and Gross Breaches of Privacy"
Roger Waters Endangers Pink Floyd Catalog Sale with Ukraine, Israel Comments: Report
82-year-old viral sensation John Hetlinger joins Drowning Pool in Chicago -- watch


Parties; ½ kg of cowboys Get milk honey 1 Insula..
Mix the mixture in the middle of the middle, after adding two honey after honey mixing the mixture after mixing the eggs for five minutes and mixing it for 5 minutes, then after adding insulin, cook two minutes and then cool and cool.
Benefits; This Desi Version is the breakthrough of nervous fatigue, muscle, muscle and legs weaknesses and is a powerful and tremendous prescription.


Courses are assigned to distributional areas not by divisional location or program, but by intellectual focus and methodology. The faculty designates the area into which a course falls on the basis of its content. There are seven areas plus the Q requirement. A course may be designated as being in two areas (but not more than two), and it may at the same time be a Q course.
Students are required to take one course from each of the distribution areas listed below and a Q course, making a total of eight courses over the four years. If a course has been designated as being in two areas students must select one requirement to be fulfilled. However, a course from any area that is also designated as a Q course may satisfy two requirements - one area requirement, and the Q requirement. Four of the courses selected to fulfill the requirements for the first five categories must be outside the student's major program. In order to graduate, a student must accumulate 124 semester hours of academic credit, of which 40 must be outside their major division.
Area A: Philosophical, Aesthetic and Interpretive Discourses - courses in philosophy, aesthetics, art history and theory, literary theory and hermeneutics, religion courses with a philosophical emphasis, political thought, economic theory, history and philosophy of science.
Area B: Literary Texts and Linguistics - courses in literature, theory of language and linguistics, psychology or anthropology courses on language.
Area C: Social and Historical Disciplines - courses in history, sociology, anthropology, politics, social psychology, religion courses with a socio-historical emphasis, literature courses with historical focus, art or music courses with a specifically historical focus.
Area D: Foreign Language and Culture - all courses in foreign languages, but also courses in the social, literary or artistic disciplines that focus on specific (non-English speaking) culture areas could be included.
Area E: Natural Sciences, Empirical Social Sciences, or Mathematics - many science Division courses; social science courses with a quantitative or empirical research focus; courses in computer science.
Area F: Practicing Arts - courses in studio art, drama/dance (performance), filmmaking, musical performance, photography studios, creative writing.


text:
#include <cimple/cimple.h>
#include <cassert>
#include <cstdio>
#include <cimple/log.h>
#include <cimple/String.h>
#include <unistd.h>
#include <cimple/CimpleConfig.h>
#include <cimple/Adapter_Tracer.h>
#include <fstream>

using namespace cimple;

static bool verbose;

// conditionally display start test message
void startTestMsg(const char * text)
{
    if(verbose)
    {
        printf("Start test %s\n", text);
    }
}
// return line count
bool fileLineCountRange(const char* path, uint32 min, uint32 max)
{
    assert(FileSystem::exists(path));
    uint32 lineCount = 0;

    std::ifstream fs;

    fs.open(path);

    //std::fstream fs;
    Buffer buffer;
    while(FileSystem::get_line(fs, buffer))
    {
        lineCount++;
    }

    if(verbose)
    {
        if(!((lineCount >= min) && (lineCount <= max)))
            printf("ERROR: lineCount %s, rtnd cnt=%u min=%u, max=%u\n",
                   path, lineCount, min, max);        {
        }
    }
    return ((lineCount >= min) && (lineCount <= max));
}
bool fileSizeRange(const char* path, uint32 min, uint32 max)
{
    uint32 fileSize;
    assert(FileSystem::get_size(path, fileSize));
    if(verbose)
    {
        if(!(fileSize >= min && fileSize <= max))
        {
            printf("ERROR: fileSizeRange %s, rtnd size=%u min=%u, max=%u\n",
                   path, fileSize, min, max);
        }
    }
    return ((fileSize >= min && fileSize <= max)? true : false);
}

void showConfigParams()
{
    if(verbose)
    {
        printf("Show log info: log_level = %u (%s), maxLogFiles = %u,"
               " maxLogSize = %u enableState = %s\n",
           CimpleConfig::getLogLevel(),
           CimpleConfig::getLogLevelString(),
           CimpleConfig::getLogMaxBackupFiles(),
           CimpleConfig::getLogFileMaxSize(),
           (CimpleConfig::getEnableLoggingState()?"true": "false"));
    }
}

// set the contents variable into a file named .cimplerc and copy the
// contents of the file into the test result file.
void set_cimplerc(const char* contents)
{
    // write the chars to the cimple config file
    {
        FILE* fp;
        if((fp=fopen(".cimplerc", "w")) == NULL)
        {
            printf("Cannot open file.\n");
            exit(1);
        }
        fprintf(fp, "%s",contents); /* write to file */
        fclose(fp);
    }

    // append the created .cimplerc into the result file
    // write the chars to the cimple config file
    {
        FILE* fp;
        if((fp=fopen("result", "a")) == NULL)
        {
            printf("Cannot open file.\n");
            exit(1);
        }
        fprintf(fp, "%s",contents); /* write to file */
        fclose(fp);
    }
}

//Test setting the directory location via setting the env var. This test
// does not use the readconfig function to set configuration.  It is set
// when the first log macro is called.
void test01()
{
    startTestMsg("test01 - test setting directory via env var");

    // start test by cleaning out all log files
    assert(CimpleConfig::removeLogFiles());
    assert(!FileSystem::exists(".cimple/messages"));

    // set the config file .cimplerc
    const char * cimplerc =
    "LOG_LEVEL=DBG\n";
    set_cimplerc(cimplerc);

    assert(FileSystem::exists(".cimplerc"));

    // generate a set of log entries
    String test_string("test string");
    int i = 3;

    uint32 test1 = 9999;

    CIMPLE_DBG(("Generate DBG msg: %s", test_string.c_str()));
    CIMPLE_INFO(("Start Log test01: %d", i));
    CIMPLE_INFO(("Generate INFOTest uint32 for Log String: %u", test1));
    CIMPLE_ERR(("Generate ERR msg"));
    CIMPLE_FATAL(("generate FATAL message"));

    showConfigParams();

#ifdef DISABLE_LOG_MACROS_OPT
    assert(CimpleConfig::getLogLevel() == 0);
    assert(CimpleConfig::getLogFileMaxSize() == 0);
    assert(CimpleConfig::getLogMaxBackupFiles() == 0);
#else
    assert(CimpleConfig::getLogLevel() == LL_DBG);
    assert(CimpleConfig::getLogFileMaxSize() == 0);
    assert(CimpleConfig::getLogMaxBackupFiles() == 0);
#endif
    assert(FileSystem::exists(".cimple/messages"));
}

// Test dynamic change of log configuration parameters
void test02()
{
    startTestMsg("test02 - test dynamic change of log config params");

    // start test by cleaning out all log files
    assert(CimpleConfig::removeLogFiles());
    assert(!FileSystem::exists(".cimple/messages"));

    // Set the configuration from the config file
    const char * cimplerc =
    "LOG_LEVEL=DBG\n"
    "MAX_LOG_FILE_SIZE=100000\n"
    "MAX_LOG_BACKUP_FILES=5\n";

    set_cimplerc(cimplerc);
    CimpleConfig::readConfig();

    CIMPLE_INFO(("Start Log test02a"));

    showConfigParams();

    assert(CimpleConfig::getLogLevel() == LL_DBG);
    assert(CimpleConfig::getLogFileMaxSize() == 100000);
    assert(CimpleConfig::getLogMaxBackupFiles() == 5);

    CIMPLE_INFO(("Start Log test02b. Should only show WARN and higher msgs"));

    const char * cimplerc1 =
    "LOG_LEVEL=WARN\n"
    "MAX_LOG_FILE_SIZE=100000\n"
    "MAX_LOG_BACKUP_FILES=5\n";

    set_cimplerc(cimplerc1);
    CimpleConfig::readConfig();

    CIMPLE_DBG(("Generate DBG msg: %s", "blah"));
    CIMPLE_INFO(("Start Log test01:"));
    CIMPLE_INFO(("Generate INFO Test"));
    CIMPLE_ERR(("Generate ERR msg"));
    CIMPLE_FATAL(("Generate FATAL message"));

    showConfigParams();

    assert(CimpleConfig::getLogLevel() == LL_WARN);
    assert(strcmp(CimpleConfig::getLogLevelString(),"WARN") == 0);
    assert(CimpleConfig::getLogFileMaxSize() == 100000);
    assert(CimpleConfig::getLogMaxBackupFiles() == 5);

    // change the various parameters with CimpleConfig and try again:

    CimpleConfig::setLogLevel(LL_DBG);
    CimpleConfig::setLogFileMaxSize(5000);
    CimpleConfig::setLogMaxBackupFiles(8);

    assert(CimpleConfig::getLogLevel() == LL_DBG);
    assert(strcmp(CimpleConfig::getLogLevelString(),"DBG") == 0);
    assert(CimpleConfig::getLogFileMaxSize() == 5000);
    assert(CimpleConfig::getLogMaxBackupFiles() == 8);
}

// Test generation of multiple log files. Test generates logs that
// require log file prune.
void test03()
{
    startTestMsg("test03 - Test generation of multiple log files");

    // start test by cleaning out all log files
    assert(CimpleConfig::removeLogFiles());
    assert(!FileSystem::exists(".cimple/messages"));

    const char * cimplerc =
    "LOG_LEVEL=DBG\n"
    "MAX_LOG_FILE_SIZE=500\n"
    "MAX_LOG_BACKUP_FILES=5\n";

    set_cimplerc(cimplerc);
    CimpleConfig::readConfig();
    CIMPLE_INFO(("Start Log test03"));

    showConfigParams();

    assert(CimpleConfig::getLogLevel() == LL_DBG);
    assert(CimpleConfig::getLogFileMaxSize() == 500);
    assert(CimpleConfig::getLogMaxBackupFiles() == 5);

    // generate  log entries
    for(uint32 i = 0; i < 10000 ; i++)
    {
        CIMPLE_INFO(("Generate INFO Test %u", i));
    }

    // should be about 5 files at this point
    assert(FileSystem::exists(".cimple/messages"));
    assert(fileLineCountRange(".cimple/messages", 8, 8));
    assert(FileSystem::exists(".cimple/messages.1"));
    assert(FileSystem::exists(".cimple/messages.2"));
    assert(FileSystem::exists(".cimple/messages.3"));
    assert(FileSystem::exists(".cimple/messages.4"));
    assert(fileSizeRange(".cimple/messages.4", 300, 700));
    assert(FileSystem::exists(".cimple/messages.5"));
}

// test the removelog functions
void test04()
{
    startTestMsg("test04 - test removeLogFiles functions");

    assert(FileSystem::exists(".cimple/messages"));
    assert(fileLineCountRange(".cimple/messages", 8, 8));
    assert(FileSystem::exists(".cimple/messages.4"));
    assert(fileLineCountRange(".cimple/messages.4", 8, 8));
    assert(FileSystem::exists(".cimple/messages.5"));

    assert(CimpleConfig::removeLogFiles());

    // confirm that the messages file no longer exists.
    assert(!FileSystem::exists(".cimple/messages"));
    assert(!FileSystem::exists(".cimple/messages.1"));
    assert(!FileSystem::exists(".cimple/messages.4"));
    assert(!FileSystem::exists(".cimple/messages.5"));
}

void test05()
{
    startTestMsg("test05 - test enablelogstate API");

    // start test with empty log file
    assert(!FileSystem::exists(".cimple/messages"));

    const char * cimplerc =
    "LOG_LEVEL=DBG\n"
    "MAX_LOG_FILE_SIZE=5000\n"
    "MAX_LOG_BACKUP_FILES=5\n";

    set_cimplerc(cimplerc);
    CimpleConfig::readConfig();

    // turn off all logging
    bool rtn = CimpleConfig::setEnableLoggingState(false);

    // Should have been true since that is default
    assert(rtn == true);

    showConfigParams();
    CIMPLE_INFO(("Start Log test05"));

    CIMPLE_DBG(("Generate DBG msg: %s", "blah"));
    CIMPLE_INFO(("Start Log test01:"));
    CIMPLE_INFO(("Generate INFO Test"));
    CIMPLE_ERR(("Generate ERR msg"));
    CIMPLE_FATAL(("Generate FATAL message"));

    // assert that there is no log or it is empty
    assert(! FileSystem::exists(".cimple/messages") ||
        fileSizeRange(".cimple/messages", 0, 0));

    // turn on all logging. returns old state
    rtn = CimpleConfig::setEnableLoggingState(true);

    // Should have been false since that is default
    assert(rtn == false);

    CIMPLE_DBG(("Generate DBG msg: %s", "blah"));
    CIMPLE_INFO(("Start Log test01:"));
    CIMPLE_INFO(("Generate INFO Test"));
    CIMPLE_ERR(("Generate ERR msg"));
    CIMPLE_FATAL(("Generate FATAL message"));

    assert(FileSystem::exists(".cimple/messages"));
    // TODO Following test commented because fails on windows May 2010
    //assert(fileSizeRange(".cimple/messages", 200, 1000));
    assert(fileLineCountRange(".cimple/messages",5,5));
}

// test ENABLE_LOGGING turned on with api call. Start with no
// logs and disabled and then turn on
void test06()
{
    startTestMsg("test06 - Test ENABLE_LOGGING api");

    // start test by cleaning out all log files
    assert(CimpleConfig::removeLogFiles());
    assert(!FileSystem::exists(".cimple/messages"));

    const char * cimplerc =
    "LOG_LEVEL=DBG\n"
    "MAX_LOG_FILE_SIZE=5000\n"
    "MAX_LOG_BACKUP_FILES=5\n"
    "ENABLE_LOGGING=false\n";

    set_cimplerc(cimplerc);
    CimpleConfig::readConfig();

    showConfigParams();
    CIMPLE_INFO(("Start Log test06"));

    CIMPLE_DBG(("Generate DBG msg: %s", "blah"));
    CIMPLE_INFO(("Start Log test01:"));
    CIMPLE_INFO(("Generate INFO Test"));
    CIMPLE_ERR(("Generate ERR msg"));
    CIMPLE_FATAL(("Generate FATAL message"));

    // assert that there is no log or it is empty
    assert(! FileSystem::exists(".cimple/messages") ||
        fileSizeRange(".cimple/messages", 0, 0));

    // turn on all logging
    bool rtn;
    rtn = CimpleConfig::setEnableLoggingState(true);

    // Should have been true since that is default
    assert(rtn == false);

    CIMPLE_DBG(("Generate DBG msg: %s", "blah"));
    CIMPLE_INFO(("Start Log test01:"));
    CIMPLE_INFO(("Generate INFO Test"));
    CIMPLE_ERR(("Generate ERR msg"));
    CIMPLE_FATAL(("Generate FATAL message"));

    assert(FileSystem::exists(".cimple/messages"));
    // TODO Following test commented because fails on windows May 2010
    //assert(fileSizeRange(".cimple/messages", 200, 1000));
    assert(fileLineCountRange(".cimple/messages",5,5));
}

// test option where there is defined max log size but
// zero backup log files.  Log file just deleted at max.
void test07()
{
    startTestMsg("test07 - test 0 backup log file option");

    // start test by cleaning out all log files
    assert(CimpleConfig::removeLogFiles());
    assert(!FileSystem::exists(".cimple/messages"));

    const char * cimplerc =
    "LOG_LEVEL=DBG\n"
    "MAX_LOG_FILE_SIZE=500\n"
    "MAX_LOG_BACKUP_FILES=0\n"
    "ENABLE_LOGGING=true\n";

    set_cimplerc(cimplerc);
    CimpleConfig::readConfig();

    showConfigParams();
    CIMPLE_INFO(("Start Log test07"));
    CIMPLE_INFO(("Config = %s", cimplerc));
    assert(CimpleConfig::getLogLevel() == LL_DBG);
    assert(CimpleConfig::getLogFileMaxSize() == 500);
    assert(CimpleConfig::getLogMaxBackupFiles() == 0);

    // generate  bunch of log entries
    for(uint32 i = 0; i < 10000 ; i++)
    {
        CIMPLE_INFO(("Generate INFO Test %u", i));
    }

    // should be about 5 files at this point
    assert(FileSystem::exists(".cimple/messages"));
    assert(fileLineCountRange(".cimple/messages", 0, 30));
    assert(!FileSystem::exists(".cimple/messages.1"));
    assert(!FileSystem::exists(".cimple/messages.2"));
    assert(!FileSystem::exists(".cimple/messages.3"));
    assert(!FileSystem::exists(".cimple/messages.4"));
    assert(!FileSystem::exists(".cimple/messages.5"));

    assert(fileSizeRange(".cimple/messages", 0, 500));
}

// Following conditional compile tests the adapter trace functions
#ifdef CIMPLE_ENABLE_ADAPTER_TRACE

// Function recurses itself number of times defined by data
// used to generate a number of trace log entries and confirm
// that the trace function macros work.
bool recurse(uint32 data)
{
    PENTRY("recurse");
    uint32 loop = data;
    if(data != 0)
    {
        recurse(--loop);
    }
    PEXITBOOL(loop);
    return loop;
}

uint32 testAdapterTraceUint32(uint32 data)
{
    PENTRY("testAdapterTraceUint32");
    PEXITBOOL(data);
    return data;
}

// test the adapter trace macros.
bool testAdapterTrace(bool returnValue)
{
    PENTRY("testAdapterTrace");

    testAdapterTraceUint32(1);

    uint32 recurseCounter = 32;
    recurse(recurseCounter);

    PEXITBOOL(returnValue);
    return true;
}

// test adapter trace function.
void test08()
{
    startTestMsg("test08 - Test adapter trace functions");

    const char * cimplerc =
    "LOG_LEVEL=DBG\n"
    "MAX_LOG_FILE_SIZE=5000\n"
    "MAX_LOG_BACKUP_FILES=5\n";

    set_cimplerc(cimplerc);

    CimpleConfig::readConfig();
    CIMPLE_INFO(("Start Log test04 - Test Adapter Trace"));
    testAdapterTrace(true);

    CIMPLE_INFO(("Success ++++Log test04 - Test Adapter Trace"));
}
#endif   // CIMPLE_ENABLE_ADAPTER_TRACE

int main(int /* argc */, char** argv)
{
    verbose = getenv("CIMPLE_TEST_VERBOSE") ? true : false;

    // tests are executed with location determined by variable from
    // Makefile.  Normally this is the directory in which the test pgm
    // exists. This sets that location and is also a test of the
    // functions to set and get that value.
    assert(getenv("CIMPLE_HOME_TEST")? true : false);
    assert(CimpleConfig::setHomeEnv("CIMPLE_HOME_TEST"));
    assert(strcmp(CimpleConfig::getHomeEnv(), "CIMPLE_HOME_TEST") == 0);

    // test setting the env var from an API and basic log output
    test01();

    // test loading of config file file parameters.
    test02();

    // test capability to prune log file
    test03();

    // test capability to dynamically remove log files
    test04();

    // test the enable_logging function to see if we completely turn
    // off logging and then turn it back on
    test05();

    // test the enable log config param
    test06();

    // test the 0 backup log files option
    test07();

    // test the Adapter_Tracer functions
#ifdef CIMPLE_ENABLE_ADAPTER_TRACE
    test08();
#endif

    printf("+++++ passed all tests (%s)\n", argv[0]);

    return 0;
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


September 13, 1994: President Clinton signs The Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 (P.L. 103-322), which includes provisions to enhance penalties for selected drug-related crimes and to fund new drug-related programs.
September 14, 1995: The conservative, Reagan appointed judge described by American Lawyer magazine as "the most brilliant judge in the country," Richard Posner, Chief Judge of the US Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago, is quoted in USA Today: "I am skeptical that a society that is so tolerant of alcohol and cigarettes should come down so hard on marijuana use and send people to prison for life without parole... We should not repeal all the drug laws overnight, but we should begin with marijuana and see whether the sky falls."
September 13, 1999: The US 9th Circuit Court rules that seriously ill patients should be allowed marijuana if the need is there.
September 8-9, 2000: Green Party presidential candidate Ralph Nader joins New Mexico's Republican Governor Gary Johnson in criticizing the nation's war on drugs, calling for the legalization of marijuana and reform of what Nader calls "self-defeating and antiquated drug laws." Rehabilitating drug addicts gives a far better payoff than "criminalizing and militarizing the situation," he said. "Study after study has shown that, and yet somehow it doesn't get through to federal policy."
September 13, 2000: Eleven-year-old Alberto Sepulveda of Modesto, California, is shot dead during a SWAT raid targeting his father, when an officer on the scene accidentally squeezes off a shot, killing the boy instantly. A year and a half later the family settles a federal lawsuit over the death.
September 12, 2002: In Petaluma, CA, the Genesis 1:29 medical marijuana dispensary is raided by the DEA, and Robert Schmidt, the owner, is arrested. Agents also raid a garden in Sebastopol, which supplied the Genesis dispensary.
September 10, 2004: NewScientist.com news service releases an article entitled "Cannabis Truly Helps Multiple Sclerosis Sufferers," reporting on new research confirming marijuana's efficacy in treating pain and muscle spasms associated with sufferers of the disease.


Our bayonets come in a variety of types with installation types available in wall, floor & flush mount options. Our bayonets are designed to suit a large range of applications including Barbeques, Cookers & Flueless space heaters. All Bromic bayonets include a dust cap & depending on installation type can also include a bracket & mounting screws. Making the installation process simpler, by providing everything required to get your bayonet up & running straight out of the package.
A large range of our bayonet products are Australian Gas Association (AGA) approved, so you can trust in the product you purchased, as it is fit for purpose.


text:
Q: Create array in function and use it another function I have a program which gets VM information for a given user. It uses a menu system and the function REFRESH_LIST creates an array, creates an object containing VM information (ip address, name, etc.) and puts it into the array so the array is an array of objects which is as big as the amount of VMs the user has.
I then use this array to populate a table to display all the information to screen. I have another function START_INSTANCE which will start the VM based on the name of the VM but in an effort to check and make sure the user is only starting VMs assigned to them I want to go back into the array and check the VM name they entered exists in the array.
The issue I have is the array was built in one function and I need it in another. In reading I found it is a scope issue $script:var I built simple test functions and got a variable to be usable in another function when I apply that same $script:var to the array it is still not usable anywhere else.
Is there anything special with arrays or is there more to it than just scope ?
FUNCTION GET_HELP {
    ECHO ""
    ECHO " refresh  : REFRESH VM LIST"
    ECHO " start    : START INSTANCE    : start <instance-id>"
    ECHO " stop     : STOP INSTANCE     : stop <instance-id>"
    ECHO " q        : QUIT"
    ECHO ""
}

FUNCTION INSTANCE_START {

    $i=0
    $CHECK=""
    $a.Length
    While ($i -le $a.Length) {
    echo $CHECK
        If ($a[$i].INSTANCEID -contains $INSTANCEID) {
            $CHECK = "TRUE"}
        $i = $i+1
    Echo $CHECK
    }
    echo $CHECK
    IF ($CHECK = "TRUE") {
        #Start-EC2Instance -InstanceId
        "STARTING " + $INSTANCEID
        ECHO $CHECK}
    ELSE {
    $CHECK=""
    "NO"}
    $INSTANCEID = ""
}

FUNCTION INSTANCE_STOP {
    #Stop-EC2Instance -InstanceId
}
FUNCTION REFRESH_LIST {
Clear-Host
" LOADING VM LIST FOR "+$USERNAME
$date = get-date -format "MM/dd/yyyy HH:mm:ss"
$Global:a = @()
(Get-EC2Instance).instances | ? {$_.Tags.Key -eq "NAME" -and $_.Tags.Value -eq $TEST_USER} | ForEach-Object {
        $instobj = New-Object System.Object
        $instobj | Add-Member -Type NoteProperty -Name STATE -value $_.state.name
        $instobj | Add-Member -type NoteProperty -name INSTANCEID -value $_.InstanceID
        $instobj | Add-Member -type NoteProperty -name IPADDRESS -value $_.PublicIPAddress
        IF ($_.state.name -eq 'running'){
            $time=New-TimeSpan -Start $_.LaunchTime -End $date
            $val="{0}d {1}h {2}m" -f $time.Days, $time.Hours, $time.Minutes
            $instobj | Add-Member -Type NoteProperty -Name TIME -value $val}
        else{$instobj | Add-Member -Type NoteProperty -Name TIME -value ""}
        $a += $instobj}
For ($i=0; $i -le $a.Length-1; $i++){
    $instanceTags = Get-EC2Tag -Filter @{ Name="resource-id"; Values=$a[$i].INSTANCEID }
    $a[$i] | Add-Member -type NoteProperty -name PROJECT -value $instanceTags.Where({$_.Key -eq "Project"}).Value
    $a[$i] | Add-Member -type NoteProperty -name NAME -value $instanceTags.Where({$_.Key -eq "Name"}).Value
    $a[$i] | Add-Member -type NoteProperty -name SOFTWARE -value $instanceTags.Where({$_.Key -eq "Oracle SW"}).Value
}
Clear-Host
echo $date
$a | sort STATE, PROJECT, NAME |Format-Table STATE, INSTANCEID, IPADDRESS, PROJECT, NAME, SOFTWARE, TIME -AutoSize
}

#REGION MAIN

REFRESH_LIST
DO {
$SELECTION = Read-Host ">"
$COMMAND,$INSTANCEID = $SELECTION.split(' ',2)
    SWITCH ($COMMAND) {
        '-h' {GET_HELP}
        'refresh' {REFRESH_LIST}
        'start' {INSTANCE_START}
        'stop' {'STOPPING INTANCE'}
        'q' {BREAK}
        DEFAULT {'ENTER -h FOR HELP'}
     }}
 until ($COMMAND -eq 'q')

 #ENDREGION

A: One way to resolve this would be to assign the array in the $Global: scope:
$Global:arr
Some example code:
function one {
    $Global:arr = @(1, 2, 3)
}

function two {
    one
    $arr
}

two

This outputs:
1
2
3

See ss64 or run help about_Scopes for more details.

In the code that you posted, you could try:
$Global:a = @() in REFRESH_LIST
This small example is more reflective of your code:
function one {
    $Global:a = @(1,2,3)
}

function two {
    echo $a.Length
}

one
two

Where the output is 3

As mentioned in the comments, this also works with $Script, and is preferable in your case. However, to ensure you are calling the same instance of the array each time, every time you use if you need to prefix it with whichever scope you decided to declare it into ($Global: or $Script:)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Somewhere between warm Autumn nights and coffee tinged afternoons I lost something.
Autumn would bring the warmth of the leaves and the blow of the breeze and the chill of Christmas would come in unexpectedly with the night air.
somewhere between this city and the stars I lost something and I don't know what it is.
and as the scent of a mahogany wood fire crackling with spices picks up in the air, I wish there was someone coming home.
My half eaten apple sits atop the counter and I glance there, thinking about how nice it would be to have you sitting next to me on the couch, laughing.
I'd climb into your arms and the warmth of your smile would melt it all away.


Adele has announced that she is cancelling her US tour due to illness, after being struck down by a vocal cord haemorrhage. Ouch.
The Londoner was due to start the American leg of her tour on Friday (7 October), after recently finishing her UK tour, but doctors have told her that she needs more time to rest her vocal cords. So instead she wrote a grovelling apology to her Yank fans.
'Singing is literally my life, it's my hobby, my love, my freedom and now my job,' she wrote. 'I have absolutely no choice but to recuperate properly and fully, or I risk damaging my voice forever.
'I have great confidence in believing you know how much this upsets me, how seriously I take it and how truly devastated and annoyed I am by this. Wanting to do something so bad and not being able to is the most frustrating thing as I'm sure you know! My voice is weak and I need to build it back up.
'I'm gonna be starting up vocal rehab as soon as, and start building my overall stamina in my voice, body and mind. I will be back and I'm gonna smash the ball out the park once I'm touring again. I apologise from the bottom of my heart, sincerely I do.


Our happy go-to, it would the perfect song worthy of a US road trip. Think New Orleans to San Francisco, open roads and a convertible Chevy rented on a budget; now you're talking. Yes we might be dreaming, but it's a song to be sung as if no one is listening. Going hand in hand with a cup of silky Starbucks, Maroon 5's Sugar is our answer to a weekend-is-over wake up call. So let's get this show on the road – hello Monday!
Bob being a true musical genius and reggae model, his "Three Little Birds" is a timeless classic. While it makes us drift to idyllic Caribbean islands, blue skies and white sandy beaches (sigh), it doesn't half make our travel writing come out on top.
Now there is nothing like Jack Johnson for some mid week Wednesday inspiration. It can't help but get everyone singing along and tapping their feet. Talk about team bonding!
Composed by Paul Desmond and performed by The Dave Brubeck Quartet, not only do we love the original but we haven't heard a bad interpretation yet. The jazz guitar version from the Romantic Flamenco Music CD compilation by Gypsy Flamenco Masters, does an equally good job in dusting away those Thursday afternoon 'wish it was' Friday blues. You might deem us eclectic; we prefer to call ourselves creative!
We could have just dated ourselves, but who doesn't like a bit of UB40 for the ultimate way to wrap up a Friday afternoon and kick-start the weekend!


text:
Q: Can I have a pop up box in R shiny display the results of a R markdown file? Is it possible to have a pop up box display a R markdown file? I specifically need the pop up box to display the results from a R markdown file. I tried the way below, but the dialogue box won't display the plot of the random normal variables.
Sample code for the dialogue box with the R markdown file:
shinyApp(
  ui = basicPage(
    actionButton("show", "Show modal dialog")
  ),
  server = function(input, output) {
    observeEvent(input$show, {
      showModal(modalDialog(
        title = "Important message",
        includeMarkdown("Test.Rmd"),
        easyClose = TRUE
      ))
    })
  }
)

Markdown code:
---
title: "Test"
output: html_document
---

R:
plot(rnorm(10,0,1))

A: You need to take a slightly different approach to do this. If you render the .Rmd then you can present it in the modalDialog using renderUI.
library(shiny)

shinyApp(
  ui = basicPage(
    actionButton("show", "Show modal dialog")
  ),
  server = function(input, output) {

    md_out <- rmarkdown::render("Test.Rmd")

    observeEvent(input$show, {

      showModal(modalDialog(
        title = "Important message",
        renderUI(HTML(readLines(md_out))),
        easyClose = TRUE
      ))

    })
})

N.B. You can always make the .Rmd render step reactive based on another input, the dialog could then be dynamic.


Toronto's annual Canadian National Exhibition runs until September 5, with lots to see and do. This year, there are some exciting dance performances to see.
Known as ambassadors of Nova Scotia, The Amethyst Scottish Dancers of Nova Scotia has been entertaining audiences worldwide since 1985. The troupe is comprised of highly-trained highland and step dancers, ages 10-20, who blend traditional and contemporary choreography to give audiences an exciting taste of Nova Scotia's vibrant Scottish culture.
An unforgettable entertainment experience where music and movement become one, where ancient and modern blend and where East and West merge. The Toronto-based Arabesque is a dance and music ensemble that embodies creative contemporary sensibilities mixed with rich and ancient Arabian traditions.
Known for its highly energetic and entertaining shows, the White Pine Dancers also educate its audience on the Aboriginal culture. The troupe's vibrant performances has left many with a smile on their face, their spirit, and in their hearts!
The "Ukraina" Dance Ensemble embodies all of the qualities deeply embedded within Ukrainian culture: incredible passion, eternal striving for perfection, a love of freedom, and the rare ability to express oneself through music, movement and traditional rituals and customs. This dance troupe is unique because of its passion for Ukrainian cultures, dance and human spirit.
Tango Soul's unique performances have been widely acclaimed, and have been featured in many popular shows and films such as Cirque du Soleil, Take the Lead with Antonio Banderas, Tuxedo with Jackie Chan, Luminato Festival and many more.
When the White Eagle Polish Song & Dance Ensemble performs, it presents a colourful tour of Poland's diverse culture and history through song and dance. Another integral part of the show is the diverse repertoire and wardrobe of Polish folk and court dances. The ensemble captivates its audiences with its richly embroidered authentic costumes, which are of exceptional historical and ethnographic value.
Toronto-based, Ensemble Topaz brings together music and dance traditions from Turkish, Balkan, Klezmer and Middle Eastern cultures. Featuring a diverse array of international melodies, rhythms and dances, Ensemble Topaz offers a journey through a myriad of rich traditions and their contemporary interpretations.
The Orient Dance Company is a not-for-profit organization with a purely artistic and educational mission. Their objective is to share and nurture the growth of Chinese dance culture and to promote its exchange with other dance cultures throughout Canada.
Groupo Chile's extensive repertoire covers a range of music and dance styles found in the most significant folkloric regions of Chile, including the North with a strong influence of Aymara culture, the South with traditions of Chiloe Island, and the mystery of the Polynesian Easter Island.
See all the events scheduled at the Ex.


Join us for an evening of Christmas Shopping!
Thursday, 22 November 2018 from 6:00pm - 8:00pm.
This is a relaxed and fun after hours shopping event, free for you to enjoy!
AND loads of Christmas Gift inspiration!!
RSVP via this link and be there on the night for your chance to WIN a gorgeous Emma & Roe watch from Michael Hill and a $100 Meridian Mall Gift card!